Equalizing-lever.



ND. 660,649. Patented flct. 30, I900. J. E. NORMAND.

EQUALIZING LEVER.

(Application filed July 29, 1699.)

(No Model.)

2 SheetsSheet l.

WITNESSESJT' (/fi/ If f 5 No. 660,649. Patented Oct. 30, I900. J. E.NOBMANIJ.

EQUALIZING LEVER.

(Application filed July 29, 1809.)

JOSEPH E. NORMAND, OF WATERTOWN, NEW YORK.

EQUALlZlNG-LEVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 660,649 d t d O tob30, 1900.

Application filed July 29, 1899. :ierial No. 725,455. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. NORMAND, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of VVatertown, Jefferson county, New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Equalizing-Levers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a system of equalizing-levers for a combinedpower and hand brake mechanism of a railroad-car brake. The system isespecially adapted for use in connection with a d ouble-truckstreet-railroad car, but of course is not limited to such use.'

My invention consists in a system of equalizing-levers adapted for usewith a powerbrake which may be readily added to the foundation-riggingof a hand-brake system, such as is commonly in use on a streetcar, andwhen so attached may be used independently of and without interferingwith the hand-lever or connecting-rods, and, further, that thehand-brake system shall still be free to be used in place of theautomatic when desired.

I will now proceed to describe an equalizing system embodying myinvention and will then point out the novel features in a claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a portion of acar-framing and a system of equalizing-levers embodying my invention,and Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the brake-cylinder.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts in bothfigures.

Reference character 1 designates the carframing, 2 the hand-brake lever,and 3 3 connecting-rods leading to the hand-brake staffs.

4 designates an air-brake cylinder of any desired or well-known form.This cylinder and its appurtenances are shown in detail section in Fig.2. The pump, governor, and valve system are not shown in detail herein,as not forming part of the invention; but the said cylinder may beprovided with the usual operating-valve adapted to admit compressed airthereto from a source of supply and to discharge air therefrom as it isdesired to set or release the brakes. One end of an air-reservoir isshown in the drawings and is designated by the reference character 18.

15 designates a piston with which the cylinder is provided, having ahollow piston-rod 16. A spring 14 is arranged within the cyl inder forreturning the piston to its normal position.

5 designates a rod arranged to slide loosely in the hollow piston-rod 16and to bear at one end against the piston 15 within the cylinder, and atthe other end it is secured at 17 to a link 6, in turn secured to anintermediate lever, (designated by the reference character7 The lever 7is fulorumed at a fixed point 8 upon the frame of the car.

9 and 10 are two levers known as the cylinder-levers, the one fulcrumedto the end of the cylinder and the other, commonly known as a floatinglever,-from the fact that its fulcrum is not a fixed point, pivoted tothe link 6 at 17. 11 is a connecting-link securing the two leverstogether intermediate of their length. The opposite ends of thecylinder-levers 9 and 10 are pivoted to the connecting-rods 12, leadingto the truck-levers in a manner well known.

The lever 7 is connected to the hand-brake lever 2, preferably by aflexible connection 13, such as a chain. This flexible connection willpermit the using of the automatic or air brake without interfering withthe hand brakelever2orconnecting-rods3,&c. When the automatic brakemechanism is used, slack is formed in the chain connection 13, which istaken up again when the brakes are released and the parts returned totheir normal position.

When it is desired to use the hand-brakes, one of the connecting-rods 3is drawn forward by any suitable and well-known hand-operatedmechanismsuch as the ordinary handbrake, staff, and chain connectionandthe rod 5 is drawn out and the brakes set thereby, precisely as ifmotive fluid had been introduced into the cylinder 4:. It will thus beseen that thehand mechanism and the power mechanism may be used entirelyindependent of the other. At the same time the same system of levers isused in either case and operated from the same point-that is, at thepoint 17When the link 6 and rod 5 are both secured to the lever 10. Inthe use of the hand brake mechanism, however, an additional lever isthrown innamely, 7--in order to give greater purchase.

By my arrangement of lovers I have shown an exceedingly simple andeffective equalizing system and one which upon being added to a caroriginally equipped for hand-brake only in no Way interferes with thefoundation brake-rigging. It simply means the addition of three levers.

What I claim is- In a brake-operating mechanism, the combination with acylinder and piston mounted therein, two cylinder-levers, the onepivoted to a fixed point of support and the other constituting afloating lever, a link connecting the two levers together at pointsintermediate of their ends, and truck-leverconnecting-rods pivoted tothe ends of said cylinder-levers, of a hand-brake lever centrallypivoted to a fixed point-of support, hand-brake connecting-rodsconnected to opposite ends of same, an intermediate lever pivoted at oneend to a fixed point of su.pport,a flexible connection between theopposite end thereof and the hand-brake lever, a connection between thepower end of said floating cylinder-lever and the intermediate lever ata point intermediate of its length, and a connection between said pistonand the power end of said floating lever, whereby said lever may beoperated by the movement of said piston, but is free to be operated bysaid hand-brake lever independently of said piston.

Signed by me at New York, N. Y., this 26th day of July, 1899.

JOSEPH E. NORMAND. Witnesses:

FRANK H. 'Oo'rHREN, ALBERT KNEWMAN.

